Raptor Assault.

Like Cowboy Coward said to Ned Beatty in Deliverance: “Don’t say anything, just DO it.”

I did Raptor Assault 4/16-4/17. It was a hoot. “Don’t drive it like you bought it, drive it like you STOLE it”.

Too much text, not enough pics.

























low res video


2.7k x 60FPS videos of the higher speed section of Raptor Assault. They’re 2.7gb each, so you’ll need to build up a sizable buffer to watch or just download and watch from the desktop.

1st run


2nd lap

Here are my observations.
This is oriented towards the truck itself, and accommodates all skill levels; zero to hero. At NO time were any of backed off, we were prepped and it was strongly suggested we not push hard where it could result in us rolling the truck. There’s a brief driving intro, out of the class and into the fleet of trucks. You start slow in their dirt / gravel track. I’ll call it a “level zero auto cross in the dirt”. It looks kind of simple / easy at first, but don’t underestimate what you can learn here. Next up was the 30 degree incline / park sideways, and the rock crawl climb. the pictures don’t do this justice and this is where you learn about hill descent mode. As Tone said, hill descent is legit. Next we get to sample the truck in mud/sand in what I’ll call a little more open than the typical east coast 4 wheeling. Buh-bye eco mode I was way underestimating the truck at first and the first group left us for bad. Then I had to catch up and eventually did. The truck just handled it. The truck really comes alive in this stuff.

There are gen 1 Raptors in the instructor fleet. You know what, they did just fine. Respect.

we did a bunch of driving, then some mountain work in 4 low - a lot of time in 4 low, just like Mall/Starbucks mode. You end the day on the high speed course they have, which for us was dusty as F***, and really pretty doggone fun. I’m not sure if the GT350 guys had as much fun but I got my “money’s worth”.

Some observations:
Nobody got out of the truck at then end and said “that was lame”. I’m pretty certain everyone came away with a healthy respect for the truck, it’s capabilities when pushed (without worrying about a $70,000 financial hit) and what you can do with it as an end user with some practice.

You get swag and a thumb drive with hundreds of pics.

In truck video is encouraged.

The recommended hotel ... What to say? I didn’t like it and wouldn’t recommend staying there. Yes, it’s close. Furniture and features good, continental breakfast + some hot food buffet style.

It’s loud as ****. No matter how hard you try, closing the door is about as loud as a suppressed 9mm supersonic - easily 110 db. Elevator chimes louder than Big Ben. Both days, I got awakened at 0415 by the adjoining rooms iPhone alarm. ON VIBRATE! Yes, the walls are that thin. And apparently everyone else got the idea too because every 15 minutes another door open/close, elevator buzz, then elevator chimes, repeat.

When I came back from day one, the knuckleheads had deactivated my keys, despite my 2 day reservation.

No issues flying, despite layovers and what not. I think I spent... maybe 600 bucks? I upgraded to first class on the return flight, I didn’t sleep for **** the 2 days in tooele. sometimes you just have to say WTF.

If you get the chance, do Raptor Assault.

Great review. I'm going in August. Can't wait.

May 15th for me!!!!

xrocket21 said:

May 15th for me!!!!

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I am the 17-18th.

You might want to consider making a “trip” of it. The scenery is epic. Some good stuff abounds. a few SLC breweries, also a few distilleries sugar something or other and High West - HW it closed for spring cleaning until early May I think.
Heck, a co-worker of mine in Draper just went skiing last week.

If you drive, you would have your pick of public lands to 4 wheel

It’s worth some time to poke around.

JetDriver480 said:

I am the 17-18th.

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Me too.

Great recap of great Monday!

I was there same time as you! I thought it was unbelievable! I drove it like I stole it in the high speed run. Touched the brake a bit too hard on the front end of the course in the dry slick sand/clay got the backend around and was going 50 through the bushes! My passenger was gripping on tight! My second run on the backend of the course (speed limit of 55) I saw a little over 70. This truck will glide over huge ruts! The faster you go it seems the better the ride in rough terrain.

I was equally impressed with the rock crawling we did in the mountains. Got some incredible pictures up at I think 6500 ft.

The modes really do change the driving characteristics of the truck.

If you get a chance to go definitely do it!

Yup! on the first section with all the ruts, there’s a lazy right hander with a lot of dirt left of the ruts. I thought I’d be clever and take the truck wide left and “late apex” into the turn. It would have been heroic had it not been for the ruts ! I made a great line, then hopped right back into the ruts, gaining nothing. DOH.

what was your truck #? I was in 9 / black.

Bang for the buck, the first off road section where we were in mud/sand was doggone impressive with how fast you can push the truck through this and not even scrape.

#3 black I think

I haven't checked out the pictures yet but I think that is right. I was wearing a Clemson shirt.

Yeah I forgot about the first section off-road! That was great too when you could see. I wish we had about and 8th inch of rain or so to knock down the dust! When it would get real thick you couldn't see 3 ft in front of the truck.

I remember that wide area space I tried both times to stay left only to end up back in the ruts.

I was also there the same weekend (Arkansas Baseball shirt) and had a great time. For the cost of a plane ticket, hotel, and rental car... I'd say it was well worth it. I was most impressed with the 30 degree incline and the rock crawl mode. The hill descent control makes descending steep, rocky hills look easy. I had previously thought of Raptor as primarily a desert runner type vehicle but they are so much more versatile than just that.

I will also echo smurf's comments about the host hotel. While it was closer to the track than any hotel in the city, if I had it to do over again, I would have stayed somewhere in the city. The hotel wasn't terrible but I'm sure there are much better options if you don't mind the longer drive back and forth to the motorsports complex.